Nowadays business machines (such as copiers, facsimile machines, printers, scanners, and the like) have become indispensable information equipment in office environments. They not only can enhance working quality and efficiency, but also make storing and management of files and records more convenient and tidy. However, because the machines are designed and made by different vendors, their operation is also different. As each machine requires a space for installation, allocating space to accommodate those machines in a limited office environment is a big problem for users. With the advance of technologies and increasing user demands, integrating multiple functions has become a prevailing direction in the design of information products these days. The goal is to integrate multiple functions in a single multi-function peripheral (MFP) to reduce space usage in the working environment and increase working efficiency.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 for the structure of a conventional MPF, the invention combines the functions of copying, scanning and printing. It includes a document feeding dock 11, document holding dock 12, upper lid 13, paper feeding tray 14, paper holding rack 15, operation panel 16, and scanning zone 17. When in use, the original documents are placed on the document feeding dock 11. Operation is controlled through the operation panel 16. The machine automatically fetches documents from the document feeding dock 11 to perform copying operation. When the copying operation is finished, the machine automatically discharges the documents to the document holding dock 12. The paper feeding tray 14 holds blank papers, while the copies of the original documents are conveyed and held on the paper holding rack 15. The scanning zone 17 includes a transparent board (such as glass). There is a scanner module chamber 20 located under the scanning zone that includes a scanning module 19. For scanning, users place the original document on the scanning zone 17. The scanning module 19 scans the original document. The captured optical signals of the image are converted to corresponding electric signals for transferring to a computer to display or store.
In the interior of the MFP, there is a cartridge replacing compartment for housing an inkjet cartridge (or inkjet head) 21. When the inkjet cartridge (or inkjet head) 21 is depleted, users have to turn the upper casing of the MFP about the axle 18 to replace the inkjet cartridge (or inkjet head) 21. After the replacement is finished, the upper casing is turned about the axle 18 for closing to make the MFP returning to the original condition. Then the entire replenishment process is completed. During the replacement operation users have to lift and brace the upper casing of the MFP. It is obvious that convenience for the replacement operation set forth above is not desirable.
In order to improve the convenience of replacement of the inkjet cartridge, another design has been developed as shown in FIG. 4. It has a spring 32, abutting the axle 18, and a hook 31 on a remote end of the upper casing of the MFP. The upper casing of the MFP can latch on the lower casing through the hook 31. When the hook is released, the spring 32 can brace the upper casing of the MFP.